Cannes 2022: Deepika Padukone at the festival. (Image courtesy: AFP)
New Delhi:
The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is special to India for more than just one reason. To begin with, this year the prestigious film festival is celebrating Indian cinema. India has been chosen as the first ‘Country of Honour’ in the Marche du Cinema. Secondly, actors Deepika Padukone is on jury duty. At the inauguration of the India Pavilion at Cannes on Wednesday, the actress spoke about India’s cinematic journey so far. Deepika said: “I think we have a long way to go as a country, I feel really proud to be here as an Indian and to represent the country. But when we look at 75 years of Cannes So I have said earlier also that there are only a few Indian films, and Indian talent has been able to make it and I think collectively we have today as a nation, news agency ANI said.
During the ceremony the actor-producer said: “We have the talent, we have the potential and I think all we need is that conviction and I really believe that there will come a day when India will not be at Cannes, Cannes will be in India.”
Thanks to composer AR Rahman and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur for representing India on the world stage with their exemplary works, Deepika Padukone The actress said, “India is at the pinnacle of greatness. This is just the beginning. I want to thank Rahman sir and Shekhar sir for putting India on the global map and paving the way for all of us to be here today.” said.
The Indian delegation to the festival is being led by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, Shekhar Kapur, Ricky Cage, Prasoon Joshi, folk singer Mame Khan and actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui and R Madhavan.
except Deepika PadukoneThe list of stars on jury duty at Cannes includes late filmmaker Mrinal Sen, who was the first Indian to serve as a Cannes jury member in 1982, followed by director Mira Nair in 1990. Writer Arundhati Roy was a Cannes jury member for the 2000 edition of the festival, followed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 2003, Nandita Das in 2005, Sharmila Tagore in 2009, Shekhar Kapur in 2010 and Vidya Balan in 2013.
(with inputs from ANI)